Hellcatstrut
139 Posts
"Your mediocrity is no concern of mine," Mijhael said dryly. "It is my responsibility to tell you what to expect. If you don't want to be in the cells, you will be out collecting other drakiri to bring them back. If it proves that your pelt is worth more than your time, you will be brought back here and harvested on a stricter schedule. You have no scales, your teeth are not terribly impressive, neither are your horns. They may take them once, but no more than that."
He straightened up and snapped his fingers. Two primals--both black as pitch--stepped out of the shadows and approached to stand on either side of Kedryzal, their massive shoulders practically touching from either side of him as humans came maneuvered between their legs to unchain Kedryzal's legs.
"They will escort you to the subfloor where harvesting takes place," Mijhael said. "If you're as cooperative with the folks down there as you were with me, you shouldn't expect them to hurt you."
The Risker turned away from Kedryzal then and went to stand beside Icarus, though he did not touch the kainu just yet. He was certain the smaller drakiri would collapse in fear if he tried, and that would only make his life more difficult.
The primals escorted Kedryzal across the warehouse to one of the double doors that led to a staircase beyond. They had to wait for the doors to be opened, walking together down the stairs with one primal in front of Kedryzal and the other behind, keeping a steady pace without rushing. They didn't say a word, they didn't have to. They were efficient enough without having to speak to one another and fell into step side by side as they reached the landing for the subfloor.
When the doors opened, they were greeted by a wide hallway--nearly an open space unto itself--with enough room for several drakiri to move about freely. On either side, there were concrete rooms with arches over the entrances, no doors or curtains, and in each there were drakiri of every shape and size. A golden kelpie with vivid purple scales was stretched out on a portable table with a team of humans in pale blue gowns hovering over her. Two of them lifted a scale away from her body and set it on a tray while another human began using a small blade to cut away under the scales on her shoulders. The kelpie's eyes were halfway open, but glazed over and unfocused--she didn't so much as flinch.
On the opposite side of the hallway, a black komakha with an impressive, vibrant blue swirled pattern on his scales lashed out with her back legs, upending the table that had been set up in the stall and sending surgical tools clattering to the floor and spilling out into the hallway. The primals led Kedryzal around the mess, heads down as they continued on without so much as acknowledgeing the komakha as she was dragged to the ground and pinned by truly massive mutt.
The primals stopped only once they reached an empty stall to the right, standing in stoic silence as they waited for the drakiri to step forward into the empty concrete space.
PeachmintTea
17 Posts
Kedryzal was certainly suspicious about the eyes and the dracus reaction once it was gone. In any case, he said nothing as he let her put a spell on him. He was aware of how falling asleep was like, how difficult it was. This was nothing like it. It was as easy as diving from the sky to the ground. He wondered what he might find there as he drifted off.
Hellcatstrut
139 Posts
The hue in her eyes seemed to grow brighter, staining the blue a sickly seafoam green and almost seeming to strangle their original color with how fiercely it glowed. But just as quickly as it had begun, it stopped, the color receding and her pupils expanding once more. Esperanza sagged, taking her hand back from where she had held Kedryzal's chin and blinking slowly several times. She rolled her shoulders slowly and gave her head a small shake, her well-groomed, soft mane almost seeming to shimmer under the lights above.
"Let's get started then," she said, and this time when she stepped forward, she stepped to the side, placing her hand over Kedryzal's eyes so her palm rested lightly across his brow and snout. Violet light shone from her palm as she closed her eyes and focused. She knew how this went, she'd seen it enough times and had been told what it felt like, though she'd never felt it herself: Kedryal's limbs would grow heavy, his eyes would seem almost to vibrate and his mind would plunge into blackness, as if jumping into a warm, dark well.
She held Kedryzal's head as his body relaxed and lowered it to the floor. The humans would come for him with their tools and their table, and she would be on to the next crop.
Esperanza turned to leave the stall, seeing the fiery red and yellow kainu in the stall across the way, but she stiffened and looked back at the drakiri she had just put to sleep. She felt the pressure in her eyes again, felt him looking out of her eyes, and shivered in delight. Something about the drakiri had intrigued her love, and she knew he would feast in mere hours.
The dracus strode across the hall to the flighty kainu, watching him with glee as he danced back from her to stand with his side pressed hard against the far wall, as if begging it to give way and let him hide behind its cold, solid stone. She reveled in the fear in his golden eyes, almost as much as she adored the praise the other drakiri had given her. Fear was her favorite form of control, and she would take it, even when it was not willingly given.
"Do you fear me?" she asked, brushing her fingers through her own mane once more--a gesture common to her, especially when preening in self-satisfaction.
"Yes," the kainu admitted, his voice shaking as much as the rest of him.
"But you do not attempt to flee," Esperanza mused, her head cocking slightly to the side. "Why?"
Icarus's whiskers shook even harder than the rest of him, his heart hammering so loudly in his chest he was sure Esperanza would hear it.
"I have children," he said, his voice shuddering with the concern he felt for them. "I would like to see them again before I die. If I run...they'll kill me." He didn't have to say who, they were both well aware.
"And so smart you are," Esperanza cooed. "Lie down. We don't want to scuff up the knees of that pretty skin of yours."
Icarus shivered and shied away from the dracus's touch, even as he laid down, folding his legs under himself and drawing them in close. He was cold, lonely and afraid. Not for himself, but for his children. He had no idea where they were, no idea if they were dead or alive, though he'd been told they would not be harmed. Could he believe these people?
"You have a restless mind," Esperanza said as she placed her hand on his face like he'd seen her do to the drakiri across the way. "Quiet now, and sleep. You'll wake soon enough."
He closed his eyes when the light began, it blinded him until he saw nothing but white, and then black crept in around the edges as he lost hold of his own body, falling into a pit in himself where up and down had no meaning, it was all black.
PeachmintTea
17 Posts
Kedryzal chuckled after the dracus commented about aspirating into his lungs. "No, that would be unpleasant." He made sure that the dracus had room in the stall but otherwise remained relaxed. He spared a glance at the kainu that was escorted in before giving the dracus his full attention.
He gave her a small smile upon the complement. "I am a curious being even in a place like this." He had wanted to say more but her eyes ended up grabbing his attention as he watched how her pupils became slits with a green hue starting to appear in her blue eyes.
Hellcatstrut
139 Posts
The longer white fur around Esperanza's neck and down her back stood up proudly when Kedryzal complimented her, and her whiskers trembled at the ends in her vanity. This was one she would like to keep around for a while, especially if he was going to stroke her ego as such.
"Food will come well after," she confirmed. "The process can be unnerving to some, I would hate for you to aspirate into your lungs--that's much more difficult to fix."
She moved farther into the stall, and as she left the hallway the primals returned to escort the kainu from the inspection floor to the stall across from Kedryzal's. Icarus moved to stand in his stall, pacing nervously and looking around with wide eyes.
Esperanza reached out a hand to hold Kedryzal's chin between thumb and forefinger, smiling as she lifted his face so he had no choice but to look at her.
"I like your attitude," she purred. "I like that you behave, yet you aren't afraid to ask questions. I hope you keep that spark while you're here."
As she peered at him, something in her eyes changed--her pupils constricted to slits hardly the width of a claw-scratch, and a vibrant green hue crept into the blue of her irises, hardly noticeable unless one stared directly at them.
PeachmintTea
17 Posts
The dream did not start immediately, leaving his mind to wander in darkness. Ked had no problem waiting and was rewarded for his patience. He landed on a favorite planet of his where it was twilight on warm grass. He was slightly disappointed by the lack of wind and smell, but he supposed he couldn't be too picky. It wasn't like he was sleeping outside.
He landed on the surface and frowned at the lack of feeling the grass between his paws. Decided to pretend that the grass was as soft as it looked, he walked. At first, he did not see or sensed creatures around but in time, he noticed the small bugs, the creepy crawlies, and odd creatures. Feeling that he was too big to see them properly, he shape shifted to his anthro form.
He was surprised how easy it was and got a better look at them. The creatures he saw did not bother him, but they were on very odd and disturbing objects. He reached out to them when a few spotted him and hissed. Getting the hint that they do not want to be disturbed, he got up and moved on.
He doesn't remember how it happened only that the sounds of feet on the grass changed to rock then the horrible echo... of the hallway. The echo and sudden bright harsh light grabbed his wandering mind back to where he was: the hallway to the harvesting floor. He paused and glanced around, hearing the echo dying down. There was no one in the hallway with him.
He pressed on, feeling the cores of all the being up ahead, including his own. It was odd feeling his own core within the room up ahead instead of in his chest. He went right up to the doors and placed a hand on them. It passed through the door, showing that he did not need to wait for it to open.
As he stepped in, his eyes scanned the room.
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